Time delay relay control



June 22, 1943.

G. L. KOTHNY ET AL TIME DELAY RELAY CONTROL Filed June 29, 1940 Gea @ASML/k' fam/a Q VPatented June 22, 1943 TIME `DELAY RELAY CONTROL Gottdank L. Kothny, Straiord, and George A.

Smith, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Sperry- Sun Well Surveying Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application June 29', 1940, Serial No. 343,182

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a Well surveying device, aridj'has Vparticular reference to a timing means" for determining the time of making a record.,

` LIn single shot photographic Well ysurveying I device s, for example, of the type of that disclosed ,i'n'the patent to Hewitt, 2,116,350,v dated May 13, 1938, the time at which the exposure is made f-L'ahd the duration of the exposure are controlled by lmean'sof a Watch controlling an electrical switch. Such a timing means must necessarily 'be of very small size to 'lit linside lsmall. size instruments and is of a very delicate nature.. Its delicate mechanism, furthermore, must make the electrical Contact Which must carry a substantial amount of c'urrent. lIt Will be evident that these reqoiiemen'ts and limitations or" size render the ine'chanism Quite costly and subject to ftlroublefbecau'se foi: the rough handling and dirt lol-Which lit is subjected at a drilling rig.

' =Not'ohi'y photographic instruments, but other f-vvell surveying instruments as Well require timigdevices to determine the time at which a rec fdrdfis made and, in some cases, the duration of eration to ,complete a record. Examples of j* uch well surveying devices are the spark record- ?ing instrum fit of Smith Patent 2,152,671, dated f'fnpril 4,1.. 9, and the electrolytic recording inf'strurnj yof Ring application Serial No. 313,-

706,111 'l January 13, 1940. llattrihstrument, there are occasions when timingrather than control by handling may be de-Y siziable,

It is the object of the present invention to provide a timing device "for a well surveying in- -:J

strument in which ilovv of liquid is used to control the timing and in Which the timing is effected electrically,

In considering 'timing by means 'oi a liquid, the use 'of mercury is suggested. The use of mercury involves, however, first the use oi special materials 'vvhichare not affected by the merroury, Vand second the design of an orifice to a quite high degree of precision. This is due to fthe fact that the surface tension oi mercury is wery high, 'as is also its density. As a result, very iminute changes in diameter of an orice vary 5to a great degree the rate of flow of mercury therethrough, and it becomes difficult to stand- `ardire timing devices for production in quan- 'tities The orices are, furthermore, necessarily very small for mercury to secure iiovv over :a considerable period using a reasonable quantity of the liquid. 'Very slight amounts of dirt or impurity in the mercury may close the orice In the case of the 1 entirely or interfere seriously with the timing by substantially changing its surface tension.

While mercury caribe used vwith the exercise of care, taking into account ythe factors mentioned above, such difficulties can be avoided to a large extent by usingy an aqueouselectrolyte in place of mercury.. -An aqueous electrolyte controlling the flow of current, however, Yoilersv difficulties because of the electrolysis which will occur. Even vthe, smallcurrents after repeated operations will, cause electrolysis. damaging' electrodes and, unless the ,electrolytev is properly chosen, liberate gas which could ,notV be tolerated in a closed instrument such as should. be used, the timing. device being preferably, aswill be obvious hereaften inthe form of a sealedelement, ,the vdevice presenting exteriorlyonly` electrical connection means.

The present invention isdirected to.,solution of the, problem of using in satisfactory fashion an aqueous electrolyte as a .timing medium for a Well surveying instrument-, The .timing de-I 4vice is, furthermore, adapted to be set into` op; eration4 merely by inversion.

Thenabove and other objects of the invention,

' particularly relating to details, vvillbecome ape 'generally speaking,'of the type described in said `Hewittv Patent 2,116,350, and comprises a protective casing 2, provided with a lower nose plug 4 and an upper plug 6 to which a Wire line is to be vattached for lowering the instrument in abore hole. vThe operating parts of the surveyingv instrument are contained in an inner casing 8 within which is located a floating compassl, a pendulum I2 and a lens I4 for projecting images of the pendulum and compass upon a photographi- Cally sensitized disc I6 held in a clamping device i8 of conventional character. To produce the photographic exposure providing the record there are provided one or more lamps 20 adapted to illuminate the compass and pendulum. In this type of instrument, a timing device, heretofore a Watch as described above, has been used to delay illumination or the lamps for a period suilicient to permit the location of the instrument where the record is to be made and then to provide illumination for a sufficient period to effect the making of a record. The various record elements are shown merely for the purpose of illustration, as it will be evident that they may take any of the forms common in the art; for example, the compass may be omitted if the instrument is merely to give a record of inclination; or a pair of compasses without a pendulum or other inclination indicating device may be provided if the instrument is to be used for orientation of tools in accordance with, for example, Hyer Patent 2,120,670, dated June 14, 1938. In fact, as will be pointed out later, the lamps 2D are merely representative of devices of other types which may be electrically energized to produce records.

Located above the recording devices are devices indicated at 22 including batteries and other elements, for example, a relay and circuit breakers, which are illustrated in the wiring diagram of Figure 3. Above these elements there is indicated at 24 a timing device per se. At the top of the timing device is an electrical contact member 54 arranged to engage a contact making spring 28 carried by a cap 26 of the casing 8.

The timing device is illustrated in detail in Figure 2, and comprises upper and lcwer cylinders 30 and 32, respectively connected by a member 34 which provides a bottom wall for the upper cylinder and a top wall for the lower one. The top of the upper cylinder is closed by a cap member 36 and the lower end of the lower cylinder by a cap member 38. As will be evident hereafter, these closures are to be of a substantially permanent nature to be removed only in the event that repairs or replacements are required. Preferably these ends are brazed or soldered in position after the apparatus is assembled.

Communicating with an opening in the member 34 is a tube 40 which, at its lower end, carries a calibrated orice member 42 designed to control the slow flow of liquid from the upper into the lower chamber. Also communicating with an opening in the member 34 is a tube 44, which extends adjacent the top of the upper cylinder 3D.

An electrode disc 46 is carried by an insulating member 48 provided with one or more openings 49 extending through it to provide for the free passage of liquid. A set screw 50 holds the member 48 in fixed position in the cylinder 30. The electrode 46 is connected by means of an insulated wire 52 to the contact element 54 previously mentioned, which is set in an insulating insert 56 in the cap 36.

A second electrode 58 in the form of a disc is located in the lower cylinder 32, being held in the upper end of a Bakelite or similar insert 60 provided with one or more openings 64 to permit free passage of fluid and held in position in the cylinder by means of a set screw 62. As will be described hereafter, bridging between the electrode 58 and the walls of the cylinder 32 by liquid should involve the highest resistance possible, and consequently below the electrode 58 the member 60 is desirably provided with a skirt portion 65 to interrupt liquid continuity even in the form of a film between the electrode 58 and the walls of the cylinder. Additionally, an insulated defiector member 59 is preferably located above the disc 58 to deflect from the dise the liquid flowing from the orice.

The electrode 58 is connected by means of an insulated wire 66 to a contact member 68 carried in an insulating insert 18 in the lower closure cap or plug 38.

In the particular wiring arrangement which will be described, the metal portions of the casing of the timing device must be insulated from the casing of the apparatus, and for this purpose the upper and lower cylinders are surrounded by insulating sleeves 12 and 14, respectivelyy which may take the form of rubber tubing cemented to the metal cylinders.

The timing device contains an electrolyte 16 which, for example, may be a solution of a copper salt such as the sulphate or nitrate. In such case, the electrodes and all the metal parts coming in contact with the liquid, i. e., in the inte-- riors of the cylinders 30 and 32, should be made of pure copper, so that electrolysis results merely in the solution of copper from one surface and deposition on another. Desirably conditions are so adjusted as to eliminate the release of gas. Other metals are equally applicable. For eX- ample, the interior electrode surfaces of the cylinders may be silvered, the cylinders taking the form of brass or other cylinders heavily plated with silver. In such case, the electrolyte could be a solution of silver salt. Other metallic salts are equally applicable with proper choice of the electrode and wall materials. It will be evident that instead of using the cylinder walls as electrodes, additional separate electrodes may be used. The walls form convenient electrodes, however, since requirements involving deiinite levels may be satised by predetermined positioning of small electrodes such as 46 and 58.

The timing device is associated with other elcments which. may be of any suitable constructions, and hence only their locations in a wiring diagram will be described with reference to Figure 3. It will be assumed that the casing is rogarded as the ground oi the instrument. As will be evident. however, the wiring diagram is subject to considerable change. depending on convenience. The upper electrode r1.8 is Zl'Oulf-lfd through the element 54 and spring f2.8. A relay 18 is provided in the instrument, thev coil. ci which is indicated at 18 in the wiring diagram of Fic.- ure 3. The armature of this relay is grounded, and is adapted to engage three contacts B2. 88 and |82, when the coil 18 is energized. The contact 82 is electrically connected with the lower electrode 58 of the timing device through the element 68 by means of a connection indicated at 84.

This contact 82 is connected with one end of the relay winding 18 which. at. its other end. is connected to a contact 86 arranged to be engaged by a bimetallic member 88 Wound with. a lesistance coil 9D, this latter assembly providing a thermal type asher of conventional character. The heating coil 90 is connected with a cotact 9?. engageable by a spring arm provided with a weight B4 adapted to vibrate as the instrument is jarred and thus break contact. A battery 96 completes this circuit to ground. Connected between the Contact 98 and the end oi' the coil 18 opposite the contact 82 may be a resistance |80, the presence of which is desirable in the event that the relay is of a type requiring en extremely Small current for its operation. The current iiowing through the coil 18 and resistance |00 in parallel may be relatively larger to secure operation of the fiasher device, which may then be of more or less conventional nature.

A third contact |02 adapted to be engaged by the armature 80 is connected to the recording controlling element or elements illustrated conventionally in the wiring diagramas. a lamp iM;t A ,second^ battery li'A is located in this circuit. c While tWo batteries Stand -lfljfthave vbeen illus, trated 4for simplicity of explanation,` it will be evidentthat a single batteryy `may, berused both for control purposes andthe makingof a record. For example, a lamp or plurality of lamps might replace the resistance 5&8, or mightbein series with the battery 9.8. In certain cases, however,`

different voltages and wiringy,reuuirenients may dictate thepresence of two batterieswhich therefore, indicated.

Assuming for the purposeof explanation photographic well surveyinginstrument ofthe) type illustrated in Figure l, in which aiecord is i made by the timedillumination ofy a lamp or series of lamps such as 2i), indicated inltheI wiring diagramv at |84, the device isoperated follows;

After an operation of .thedeviceis completed, the electrolytewill be located inthe lowery cylinder 32. NormallyY the timing deviceis keptin this position prior` to assembly. When4 the instrument is made up for operatiomitmaybe made up in inverted position vby dropping into the-protective casing the various elements'after removal of thel bottom plug.. If this `is done, when the timing unit is inverted vprior to and during insertion,l the electrolyte.16,.,will iicw rap-` idlyinto the upper cylinder through the tube tM',

venting of air from that cylinldertaking place through the orificeV 42. After the ele'mentshav'e been located,^ in the instrument and the pliifjJfvy screwed on, the instrument should bekent in inverted position until it is desired to loweijitinto :i:

the hole, The cylinderii isfofV such size and contains suchV amount of` liquid that "when thev instrument is in inverted position, the electrode 46 is abovev the liuuid` surface. Thus no engagement ofthe liquid with electrode 4Bntakesnplace invthis reverseflow. This prevents any operation during the return flow of liquid` to the upper cylinder.

As the instrument starts into the borehole after being turned to upright position and with afrecording disc I6 in place, the electrical configuration will be essentially that of 3.v The relay and lamp HMv are deenergized, so that the armature is in a retracted position. rIhe electrof lyte slowly flows through the orifice 42 at rate determined by itsA opening and drops intoy the lower cylinder, being deflected from the electrode 58 by the deecting element 59 above that elec-v trode. The electrode U5Y is submerged during this operation, but until the electrode 58 is sub-7 merged by accumulation of liquid iny the lower cylinder, there is no circuit completed through the timing device 24. The design should be such that electrode 58 will not be reached by the liquid until the instrument is resting in the position at which the record is to be made.

The arrangement is such that the liquid rises to electrode 58 before it uncovers the electrode 46. The result is that a circuit is completed from the electrode 46 through the liquid to the Wall of the upper cylinder, and thence from the wall of the lower cylinder through the electrolyte in the lower cylinder and the electrode 58. The current thus flowing immediately energizes the coil 18. attracting the armature and closing all the contacts 82, 98 and |02. The first effect that will be noted is that the armature 80 and contact 82 shunt the circuit through the timing device, short circuiting it, so that currentflow through it will stop. It will thus be evident that at this time a ing device.

Ll f) flow `-of current can occur for only a small frac# mostimmeasurable quantity of metal. rThe making of the contactf98 and 'completion of the circuit through shunt 180 provides a relatively large current flow through thev flasher resistance' coil 90. Heating up of this flasher then occurs with" the resultthat after a predetermined time, which may beof the order of, say, ten seconds, the relay circuit will .be'op'ened so that the relay will drop its armature 80. moment thereafter, contact is again made between' 86and 88. If, now, the electrolyte still engages both'electrodes "46 'and 48', the relay is againimmediately energized' by a momentary ow of current through the timing device, and-again the flasher begins to heat upto its breaking point. Eventually theelectrolyte will uncover the electrode 46. After this occurs and an opening of the* flasher circuit takes place, reclosing the flasher circuit will not effect reenergizing'of the coil 18, and hence no further closure of the armaturerwith its contacts will take place.

Whenever the armature v8l) is attracted by the relay coil, the Vcircuittl'irough the 'lamp |04 is completed, and a record exposure is being made. It will be evident, therefore; that the total length of exposure will be'the totalY of the periods of closure ofthe flasher circuit 38 rafter Contact of liquid with 5B, the 1ast`of which periods atits initiation finds the circuit completed in the time7 The exposure time, therefore,.e1iss approximately that time during which both elec 4 trodes IE and 58 are in contact with the elec trolyte. It Will be evident that a suitable.' typel of `asher taken 'in conjunction with suitable"y location of the electrodes will result in any desir-- ed time of exposure.Y 'In'g'eneraL of course, con-- siderable variations in exposure are permissible byl reason of the latitude of the emulsion used. 1f precision is required, a flasher which breaks its circuit frequently should be used. 'In' such case, the maximum error over the period of simultaneoussubmergence of the electrodes is the time between breaks of the flasher circuit.

After the instrument is brought to the surface, if itr is inverted for removal of the apparataus through the bottom of the casing after taking off the nose plug 4, the liquidwill f iow rapidly into the upper chamber 30 without cornn pleting the control circuit. Thus-'no second ex posure will be made. A

t will be evident that the timing device controls both the delay in the making ofthe record and the time of exposure or other operation during Which the record is made. ,The delay be fore the recording operation is initiated depends upon the time required for the liquid torise in the lower chamber to the electrode 58. The dura tion of the recording operation depends upon the interval between the liquids engaging electrode 58 and dropping out of contact with the electrode 46, plus such time as is involved in the breaking of the relay circuit.

The contact arrangement illustrated at 52 and 94 is necessary only in the event that an unbalanced armature 8U is used which might, by reason of impact during the lowering of the apparatus, make accidental contact with 82. In such case, of course, the relay would be held in As soon as coolingoccurs, a f

closed position until breaking occurs due to the flasher 88. The arrangement at 92 and 94 may be provided to prevent this and so that vibration during motion of the instrument continuously opens and closes the circuit, with the result that more than a momentary closure to light the lamp |04 is impossible. Using balanced relays, however, which are quite insensitive to shocks of even major intensity, the arrangement at 92 and 94 may be dispensed with. In such case, closure of the circuit will not occur until caused by the liquid.

As .indicated above, the lamp |04 is shown only for illustrative purposes. Instead of a lamp, a spark coil may be provided in this position to produce a spark record, or the circuit including the lamp may be taken, as representative of any other electrical circuit such as involved, for example, in the Ring application referred to above. The circuit of the lamp |04 may also involve a relay for control of valves or other mechanism involved in well surveying instruments. The timing means is, as will be evident, of quite general application in place of clock controlled or otherwise time controlled contacts.

It will be evident that the principles of the invention are of general applicability in the use of liquid for electrical timing purposes, irrespective of the particular arrangement for providing for the bridging of electrodes by the liquid. For example, it will be evident that the invention is applicable to a timing device provided by locating electrode means (one electrode, for example, being the casing) .in the recording chamber of a device such as that of Winn Patent 2,134,808, dated November l, 1938. the Winn apparatus is modified so that the liquid may be returned to a supply chamber by inversion of the instrument, for example, by adopting the construction described in the application oi Davis, Serial No. 310,296, liled December 2l, 1939. In the use or apparatus of this general character, the completion of a circuit may be provided in a period beginning with the bridging of electrodes by liquid and ending with the removal of the liquid therefrom, rather than, as in the particular form of the invention described herein, by causing liquid to reach one pair of electrodes prior to breaking the bridge between another pair, the two pairs of electrodes being in series.

What We claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical timing means comprising a supply chamber, a receiving chamber, means for controlling a slow flow of an aqueous electrically conductive liquid from the supply chamber to the receiving chamber, means providing eleci'rodes in the supply and receiving chambers, a source of electricity arranged to provide a flow of current through said electrodes and liquid when the electrodes in both chambers are in contact with said liquid, and means for providing a low resistance shunt for the liquid between said electrodes promptly upon initiation ci said current ow.

2. An electrical timing means comprising a supply chamber, a receiving chamber, means for controlling a slow ilow of an aqueous electrically Preferably in such case conductive liquid from the supply chamber to the receiving chamber, means providing electrodes in the supply and receiving chambers, a source of electricity arranged to provide a now of current through said electrodes and liquid when the electrodes in both chambers are in contact with said liquid, and a relay arranged in series with said electrodes to be actuated by said current flow and provide a low resistance shunt for the liquid when energized.

3. An electrical timing means comprising a plurality of chambers, means for controlling ilow of an aqueous electrically conductive liquid from one chamber to another, electrode means arranged in a chamber to be electrically connected by said liquid after occurrence of a predetermined flow, a source of electricity arranged to provide a flow of current through said electrode means and liquid when so connected, and means controlled by a momentary passage of current through said electrode means for interrupting iiow of said current therethrough.

4. An electrical timing means comprising a plurality of chambers, means for controlling flow of an aqueous electrically conductive liquid from one chamber to another, electrode means arranged in a chamber to be electrically connected by said liquid after occurrence of a predetermined flow, a source ol electricity arranged to pro vide a flow oi current through said electrode means and liquid when so connected, means con trolled by a momentary passage ol" current through said electrode means for interrupting ilow of said current therethrough, and means for periodically providing for momentary flow oi said current through said electrode means as long as said electrode means are electrically connected by said liquid.

5. An electrical timing means comprising a plurality of chambers, means for controlling flow of an aqueous electrically conductive liquid from one chamber to ano-ther, electrode means arranged in a chamber to be electrically connected by said liquid after occurrence of a predetermined low, a source of electricity arranged to provide a flow of current through said electrode means and liquid when so connected, means controlled by a momentary passage of current through said electrode means for interrupting lloW of said current therethrough, and means dcpendent upon further flow of liquid .for interrupting the circuit including said electrode means.

6. An electrical timing means comprising a plurality of chambers, means for controlling flow of an aqueous electrically conductive liquid from one chamber to another, electrode means arranged in a chamber to be electrically connected by said liquid after occurrence ci" a predetermined flow, a source of electricity arranged to provide a flow of current through said electrode means and liquid when so connected, and means controlled by a momentary passage of current through said electrode means for shunting said electrode means and thereby interrupting flow of said current therethrough.

GOTTDANK L. KOTHNY. GEORGE A. SMITH. 

